Publisher's Summary

An Absorbing Errand uses stories of artists' lives, personal anecdotes, and insights from the author's work as a psychotherapist to examine the psychological obstacles that prevent people from staying with, and relishing, the process of art-making. Each chapter is devoted to a problem intrinsic to the creative process and illustrates how these very obstacles, once understood, can become prime sources of the energy that actually fuels the mastery of art-making.

Many people carry within their hearts an aching sense that they have something they want to express through art; or that they will not feel complete until they’ve brought out some hidden part of themselves. Yet they cannot begin to do the work of bringing their creative idea into the world. Or, maybe they've begun over and over, but they can't stay with their labor long enough to finish it. Ultimately, An Absorbing Errand provides a philosophical, historical, and analytical look at the creative impulse and how certain artists from a wide field mastered their craft. From Julia Child to Charlie Chaplin, Lady Gaga to Michael Jackson, famous painters to established writers, Smith shows us how each overcame the obstacles they faced in the pursuit of their creative visions.

There's beautiful and interesting ideas in this book, but the droning monotone reader makes it almost impossible to follow. The reader is barely registering what she is saying, just reads out one word after another in a meaningless string. What a shame.

The reader's tone is detrimental to fully enjoying the remarkable content of this book. The reader sounds like she has been generated by a computer

0 of 0 people found this review helpful

Lizzie Wortham

20/12/16

Overall

Performance

Story

"Great book! Terrible reader."

I love the content of this book, it is a real shame the reader is so stilted in her delivery with so little emotion I am reminded of high school lectures.

0 of 0 people found this review helpful

troyohna

socal

24/09/16

Overall

Performance

Story

"Interesting but nearly impossible to listen to."

it's a shame they didn't choose a reader with an easier method of reading. lost focus several times due to her reading style.

0 of 0 people found this review helpful

stitch

oregon

28/02/16

Overall

Performance

Story

"Unanimous Review"

If you could sum up An Absorbing Errand in three words, what would they be?

Fascinating; terrible reader.

Any additional comments?

Really interesting approach to a complex set of psychic states. The author is authentic and intimate...and a good writer. But the reader sounds like the female version of Stephan Hawkings ... I swear, it might be.

1 of 2 people found this review helpful

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